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"At the outset I ought to say that my wife and I received every pos-
On production of our special permit nothing could
sible courtesy.
have gone more smoothly or easily.
-
one more or
There appeared to be two foreigners examining passports
less learning the job while the other supervised. The latter was the
worst possible type of small Government official
mannered. This grey haired clerk, who was in charge, made one feel
really ashamed of British Officialdom especially as he was on an
American ship.
Ja
bullying and ill
The
There were several important Chinese passengers on board who on leav-
ing Shanghai were told that transit visas were not necessary.
passport clerk referred to above (I believe his name is Forrest) de-
manded HK$100.00 deposits from those without transit visas. Cash
money as deposits was offered but he refused the cash and demanded
drafts (how these were to be obtained on Sabbath morn in a Crown
Colony I do not know). Eventually after he had been extremely rude,
aggressive and in my opinion incompetent I had to give a personal
written guarantee for two prominent Chinese gentlemen whom I knew.
Why my guarantee for the payment of HK$100.00 is better than HK$100.00
cash still remains a mystery.
No doubt in times of War and immigration the necessity for the strict-
est possible regulations is necessary. But I sat submit that these
can be enforced competently, firmly and politely and that the behaviour
of and interpretation of the regulations by the head passport clerk
who was on duty on "President Monroe" on this occasion added very
little to British prestige in front of the Americans and Chinese
whose sympathy it is so important that we should maintain.
Mr. Forrest:
Yours sincerely,
(Sgd.) W. J. Keswick"
In the first place it is a complete surprise to me that any
person has suggested anything like rudeness regarding my conduct in-
side; nothing could be more surprising. It is a great pity that the
writer of this letter is not here for I would like to ask him about it.
It seems strange he should have known my name and not my official
position, which raises a doubt in my mind, and I hope in yours too,
whether he actually gathered my identity on the spot. There was another grey-haired official there at that time.